GDG- RE: Wright's Brigade

[Alan D. Brunelle]

James Cameron wrote:
> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
>
>
> << Notwithstanding the 'mild' debate as to where Wright's Brigade 
> struck on Day
> 2, it is pretty much a given that he crossed the Emmitsburg road at some
> point.  Yet the ER fences that in part doomed the PPT charge the next day
> didn't prove an obstacle for Wright's Brigade?  Did the fences start 
> north
> of the Copse and extend as far south as the Codori house?  If so, how did
> Wright negotiate the fences without undergoing the same withering fire 
> (to
> include artillery cannister) that Pickett and Kemper did?  If there 
> indeed
> was a large 'gap' in the union line, that might help define where Wright
> actually penetrated.
>
> Craig  >>
>
> The fences along the road would certainly been something of a 
> hindrance to the advance, but I think much of the current "fatal 
> fence" business is largely the result of History Channel hype.  
> Certainly troops were a bit more vulnerable while crossing them, and 
> they would cause some momentary disruption to an advancing line's 
> formation, but these kind of fence lines were a fact of life on a CW 
> battlefield, and the troops dealt with them. Wright was also, in his 
> advance, not facing quite the same tactical situation the troops the 
> next day had to go up against.
>
> Jim Cameron
My understanding was that the fences on the Pickett's side (right) of 
the charge were more likely to be taken down, while at the same time 
being further from the Union troops (due to the direction of the road 
with respect to the Union lines). (The attacking troops (pioneers?) on 
Day 2 took down fences, did they not?)

The opposite was true in front of Pettigrew/Trimble's side - the fences 
were more intact, and closer to the Union troops - thus providing a 
larger obstacle (and, perhaps, a more tempting place to try and hide 
behind?).

If I recall correctly, both Hess and Stuart mention two major problems 
with fences on Day 3: (1) the ones that were in parallel with the 
attacking troops tended to separate the attack, and (2) Climbing over 
the fences perpendicular to the attack (especially on the left) 
disrupted lines, and exposed the men climbing the fences for periods of 
time (slowing them down).

Alan
>
>
>                   
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